The more volunteer growers TACF has and the longer they grow chestnut trees for our breeding program, the more case studies we obtain toward the planting, breeding, maintenance and care for those trees. Below are pictures showing two examples of fencing types erected to protect chestnut trees, along with some information about their effectiveness and areas in which they were planted.
If you only have a few trees to protect, 10-20 or so (with 50 about being the maximum in my book), you may want to consider the use of individual wire cages. The American Chestnut Cooperators Foundation has a webpage devoted to the construction of these cages here: ACCF Cages. Above a maximum of about 50 trees, it typically makes financial sense to erect a more permanent fencing structure.
Below are photos of fencing options as well as a excel file on the costs of various fencing types.
Corner post - 6 ft plastic fencing
6 ft high plastic fencing
Gate
Inside the fencing - established nursery
Thorpewood Nursery uses 8 ft fencing to protect their larger chestnut plantations
Closeup of the plastic fencing
Gate and fencing at Thorpewood Nursery
8 ft fencing and chestnut plantation in the background
Excel spreadsheet, 30.5 KB
Excel spreadsheet listing different fencing options and costs for each (2006 pricing)
PDF document, 183.8 KB
Greg Weaver, vice president of the Tennessee Chapter, describes his construction methods of deer fencing to protect his chestnut orchard.
